Communication system for capsule type medical apparatus capsule type medical apparatus, and information receiver

Abstract

A capsule type medical apparatus communication system of the present invention includes a capsule type medical apparatus and an information receiver, and the capsule type medical apparatus transmits towards the information receiver a communication confirmation signal which confirms the state of communication with the information receiver, while the information receiver, when it has received the communication confirmation signal, transmits a communication authorization signal which authorizes the capsule type medical apparatus to perform communication; and the capsule type medical apparatus includes a communication control device which transmits the information when it has received the communication authorization signal.

1 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system, comprising a capsule type medical apparatus which transmits information relating to the body of an examinee from within the body of the examinee to outside it, and an information receiver which is disposed externally to the body of the examinee and which receives the information, wherein: 
 the capsule type medical apparatus transmits towards the information receiver a communication confirmation signal which confirms the state of communication with the information receiver;    the information receiver, when it has received the communication confirmation signal, transmits a communication authorization signal which authorizes the capsule type medical apparatus to perform communication;    and the capsule type medical apparatus comprises a communication control means which transmits the information when it has received the communication authorization signal.    
     
     
         2 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication authorization signal also serves as a wireless signal which performs supply of electrical power to the capsule type medical apparatus.  
     
     
         3 . A capsule type medical apparatus, comprising: 
 an acquisition means which acquires information about the body of an examinee;    a signal transmission means which transmits, towards an information receiver which is disposed externally to the body of the examinee, the information which has been acquired, and a communication confirmation signal which confirms the state of communication with the information receiver;    a signal reception means which, if the communication confirmation signal has been received, receives a wireless signal which has been transmitted from the information receiver which includes at least a communication authorization signal; and    a communication control means which makes a decision as to whether or not to transmit the information, based upon the state of reception of the communication authorization signal.    
     
     
         4 . A capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the same antenna is used for both the signal transmission means and the signal reception means.  
     
     
         5 . A capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the signal reception means comprises an envelope wave detection circuit.  
     
     
         6 . A capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the signal reception means comprises a rectification circuit which obtains electrical power from the wireless signal, and a communication authorization detection section which detects the communication authorization signal from the output of the rectification circuit and sends it to the communication control means.    
     
     
         7 . An information receiver, comprising: 
 a signal reception means which receives, from a capsule type medical apparatus within the body of an examinee, information about the body of the examinee which has been transmitted, and a communication confirmation signal which confirms the state of communication with the capsule type medical apparatus;    a recording section which records the information which has been received;    a communication authorization signal creation section which, when the signal reception means has received the communication confirmation signal, creates a communication authorization signal which authorizes the capsule type medical apparatus to transmit the information; and    a communication authorization signal transmission means which transmits the communication authorization signal.    
     
     
         8 . An information receiver according to  claim 7 , wherein the communication authorization signal also serves as a wireless signal which performs supply of electrical power to the capsule type medical apparatus.  
     
     
         9 . An information receiver according to  claim 8 , wherein, 
 when the communication confirmation signal is not received, the communication authorization signal transmission means transmits the communication authorization signal over an interval which is longer than the signal transmission interval of the communication confirmation signal.    
     
     
         10 . A capsule type medical apparatus, comprising, in a container which is introduced to within a living body: 
 an acquisition means which acquires information about the interior of the living body;    a signal transmission means which transmits the information which has been acquired by the acquisition means to outside the living body;    a sensor which detects information which specifies the position and/or the attitude of the container within the living body;    an inference means which infers the state of communication with outside the living body based upon the information which has been detected by the sensor; and    a signal transmission control means which controls the signal transmission means, based upon the results of inference by this inference means.    
     
     
         11 . A capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor which detects magnetic direction.  
     
     
         12 . A capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a giro which detects the orientation of the container.  
     
     
         13 . A capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a gravity sensor which detects the direction of gravity.  
     
     
         14 . A capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a luminance sensor which detects the luminance within the living body.  
     
     
         15 . A capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a pH sensor which detects the pH value within the living body.  
     
     
         16 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system, comprising: 
 a capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 10;  and    an antenna external to the living body, which is disposed outside the living body, and which, along with transmitting a radio wave towards within the living body, also receives the information which is transmitted from the signal transmission means;    and wherein the sensor is a signal reception antenna which receives the radio wave which is transmitted from the antenna external to the living body.    
     
     
         17 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system, comprising: 
 a capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 10;     an antenna external to the living body, which is disposed outside the living body, and which receives the information which is transmitted from the signal transmission means; and    an energy wave transmission means which is disposes in the vicinity of the antenna external to the living body, and which transmits an energy wave towards within the living body; and wherein:    the sensor is an energy wave reception means which receives the energy wave which has been transmitted from the energy wave transmission means; and    the signal transmission means performs signal transmission using electrical power which has been converted from the energy wave.    
     
     
         18 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system, comprising: 
 a capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 11;     an antenna external to the living body, which is disposed outside the living body, and which receives the information which is transmitted from the signal transmission means; and    a magnet which is arranged in a direction which is correlated with a signal reception direction of the antenna external to the living body.    
     
     
         19 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system, comprising: 
 a capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 12;  and    an antenna external to the living body, which is disposed outside the living body, and which, along with receiving the information which is transmitted from the signal transmission means, also has a signal reception direction in a predetermined direction.    
     
     
         20 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system, comprising: 
 a capsule type medical apparatus according to  claim 14;  and    an antenna external to the living body, which is disposed outside the living body, and which receives the information which is transmitted from the signal transmission means.    
     
     
         21 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system according to  claim 16 , wherein the antenna external to the living body is arranged in a state in which it is separated from the surface of the body by a predetermined interval distance.  
     
     
         22 . A capsule type medical apparatus communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the antenna external to the living body moves in a state in which the predetermined interval distance is maintained.